MMS text messaging for hand held indicia reader

• US 9,154,927 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2014
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Kearney, Sean Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, SEUNG H
• Application Number:
  US14/159,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20140131438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 235/375, 23547201-47203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/01 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10762 Relative movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3255 using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A method of operating a reader system includes: establishment a hand held reader configured to read an information bearing medium at an establishment and accepting text message communications from the establishment; reading the information bearing medium at the establishment with the reader; and, sending at least one text message communication to an operator of the reader at the establishment on the reader GUI from the establishment when the establishment recognizes a need for a specific notice requirement after reading the information bearing medium.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

reading an information bearing indicia (IBI) at a point of transaction (POT) at an establishment with an indicia reader; and

when the establishment recognizes a security risk and a need for a specific notice requirement based on the security risk, sending a text message communication to the indicia reader for display on a graphic user interface (GUI).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the text message communication is a multimedia message services (MMS) text.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the text message communication is a short message services (SMS) text.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the text message communication comprises a picture of a person at the POT.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

retrieving identification information about a person at the POT; and

sending a picture of the person at the POT to another indicia reader.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

retrieving identification information about a person at the POT; and

sending address information of the person at the POT to another indicia reader.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising terminating a transaction attempted by a person at the POT.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising audibly signaling an operator of the indicia reader that a text message communication has been sent.

9. An indicia reader system comprising:

an indicia reader for reading information bearing indicia (IBI) at a point of transaction (POT) at an establishment, the indicia reader comprising a graphic user interface (GUI), wherein the indicia reader is configured for accepting a text message communication from the establishment; and

the establishment being configured for;

after the indicia reader reads an IBI at the POT, recognizing a security risk and a need for a specific notice requirement based on the security risk; and

after recognizing a need for a specific notice requirement based on the security risk, sending a text message communication to an operator of the indicia reader at the POT for display on the GUI.

10. The indicia reader system of claim 9, wherein the text message communication is a multimedia message services (MMS) text.

11. The indicia reader system of claim 9, wherein the text message communication is a short message services (SMS) text.

12. The indicia reader system of claim 9, wherein the text message communication comprises a picture of a person at the POT.

13. The indicia reader system of claim 9, wherein the establishment is configured for:

retrieving identification information about a person at the POT; and

sending a picture of the person at the POT to the indicia reader and another indicia reader.

14. The indicia reader system of claim 9, wherein the establishment is configured for:

retrieving identification information about a person at the POT; and

sending address information of the person at the POT to the indicia reader and another indicia reader.

15. The indicia reader system of claim 9, wherein the system is configured for terminating a transaction after sending a text message communication.

16. A method comprising:

reading an information bearing medium at an establishment with an indicia reader; and

when the establishment recognizes a security risk and a need for a specific notice requirement based on the security risk after reading the information bearing medium, sending a text message communication to the indicia reader.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising sending the text message communication to multiple indicia readers.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the text message communication instructs the operator to terminate a transaction in progress.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the text message communication is a short message services (SMS) text.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the text message communication comprises a picture of a person at the POT.